Hundreds of cyclists take to Miami-Dade Streets to raise awareness of cycling safety

Miami-Dade, Florida – On Wednesday night, Hundreds of cyclists showed up at The International Ride of Silence to remember the lives lost in bike crashes.

“You wish that you were doing this with your husband rather than just being here because of him. It’s really emotional,” Jeishy Zerpa said.

Last year during a Saturday morning bike ride after a car hit him in southwest Miami-Dade, Zerpa’s late husband died. “For me, one is too many. I lost my husband forever and that should have never happened,” Zerpa said.

Two separate accidents involved cyclists in Miami-Dade County this week.

A car hit a rider, who was transported to the hospital in critical condition on Wednesday morning.

On Sunday, a couple on their bikes was hit by a Jeep on the Rickenbacker Causeway. They did not survive the crash. “Seeing the names, seeing the pictures knowing that they have left kids behind, I really…I just put myself in their shoes. It’s terrible,” said a cyclist attending the silent ride.

The Ride of Silence is also to raise awareness. “I can tell you broadly, Miami-Dade County is recognized as one of the least safe places to ride a bike,” said an organizer.

Miami-Dade invested $15 million in pedestrian and cyclist safety last year. The money is directed toward improving infrastructure, especially on bridges.

Some of the changes were controversial, such as newly installed “armadillos” on the Venetian that some say are dangerous.

The county is expediting plans to put up barriers for bike lanes on the Rickenbacker after Sunday’s crash. According to cyclists, that’s a temporary fix, but the barriers are also dangerous.